Mobile inspection facility

ABSTRACT

Aspects of the disclosure describe a wheeled vehicle having a structure attached thereto and configured to acquire within the interior of the structure a vehicle to be inspected. The structure is configured to receive the vehicle within its interior. In example implementations, the structure is located relative to the wheeled vehicle such that the vehicle to be inspected is loaded into and received within the structure during travel of the wheeled vehicle past the vehicle to be inspected. Having loaded the vehicle into the structure, the vehicle may be inspected. Once inspection is complete, the vehicle may be unloaded from the structure. In example implementations, the structure is located relative to the wheeled vehicle such that the inspected vehicle is unloaded from the structure during travel of the wheeled vehicle past the inspected vehicle. The wheeled vehicle may transport the structure to the site of another vehicle to be inspected.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects of the disclosure generally relate to article handling. Inparticular, various aspects of the disclosure relate to a wheeledvehicle having a structure attached thereto and configured to acquirewithin the interior of the structure a vehicle to be inspected.

BACKGROUND

Assessing the damage that has occurred to an object, such as a vehiclefollowing a collision, can be a time consuming and resource intensiveprocess. With respect to a damaged vehicle, in order to assess thedamage, the vehicle may be taken to a repair facility for an assessmentof the damage. If the vehicle is undriveable, it may be towed to therepair facility or, alternatively, a damage assessor may be dispatchedto the location of the vehicle in order to assess the damage.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of the present disclosure inorder to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of thedisclosures. This summary is not an extensive overview of thedisclosures. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements orto delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter. The followingsummary merely presents some of the concepts described in further detailbelow in a simplified form as a prelude to those concepts.

Aspects of the disclosure involve a mobile inspection facility that canbe driven to the location of a damaged object (such as, e.g., a vehicle)in order to assess the damage that has occurred to the object. Themobile inspection facility may include an interior chamber having anarea at which the object may be positioned as well as a collection ofsensing devices aimed at that area. Once at the location, the mobileinspection facility may receive the object within its interior such thatthe object is positioned at the area. The sensing devices may thenoperate to generate sensor data related to the damaged object, and thatsensor data may be analyzed to identify the damage that has occurred tothe object. In some aspects, the sensing devices may operate to generatedate for the damaged object while the mobile inspection facility ismoving, e.g., driven past the damage object.

In some example implementations, the mobile inspection facility may beconfigured to analyze a damaged vehicle. Accordingly, the housing andits interior chamber may be sized and shaped to receive and house adamaged vehicle undergoing an inspection. The housing may also includeone or more openings that are also sized and shaped to permit passage ofthe vehicle into the interior chamber of the housing. In some exampleimplementations, the housing may be positioned on a lateral side of thevehicle and included openings in each of a front wall and a rear wallthat permits the mobile inspection facility to drive past the vehiclesuch that the vehicle passes through the openings into and out of theinterior chamber of the housing.

A damage assessment system may receive and analyze the sensor datagenerated by the sensing devices in order to identify the damage thathas occurred to the object. The damage assessment system may alsoestimate a cost to repair or replace the object based on the damageidentified. The damage assessment system may reside remotely relative tothe mobile inspection facility or be included as part of the mobileinspection facility.

Additional aspects will be appreciated upon review of the additionaldisclosures described in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and is notlimited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numeralsindicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative operating environment in which variousaspects of the disclosure may be implemented.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an example of an implementation of asystem for implementing certain aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows another block diagram of an example of an implementation ofa system for implementing certain aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an implementation of a facilityconfigured to generate sensor data for a damaged object in accordancewith aspects described herein.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of example method steps for operating amobile inspection facility to inspect an object and assess the damagethat has occurred to that object in accordance with aspects describedherein.

FIG. 6 illustrates a first example of an implementation of a facilityfor inspecting a damaged object in accordance with aspects describedherein.

FIG. 7A illustrates an example of an implementation of a mobileinspection facility for inspecting a damaged object in accordance withaspects described herein.

FIG. 7B illustrates the example of the implementation of the mobileinspection facility for inspecting a damaged object of FIG. 7A in oneexample position.

FIG. 8A illustrates a second example of an implementation of a mobileinspection facility for inspecting a damaged object in accordance withaspects described herein.

FIG. 8B also illustrates another view of the second example of theimplementation of the mobile inspection facility of FIG. 8A.

FIG. 9 illustrates a top-down view an example of an implementation of amobile inspection facility for inspecting a damaged object in accordancewith aspects described herein.

FIGS. 10A-D illustrate an example sequence of operations of an exampleof an implementation of a mobile inspection facility for inspecting adamaged object in accordance with aspects described herein.

FIG. 11 illustrates another example of an implementation of a mobileinspection facility for inspecting a damaged object in accordance withaspects described herein.

FIGS. 12A-B illustrate an example of an implementation of an interfaceconfigured to assist receiving an object to be inspected within ahousing of a mobile inspection facility.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example use case for using a mobile inspectionfacility to inspect multiple objects residing at a location.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, methods,computer-readable media, and apparatuses are disclosed in which adamaged object may be inspected using a mobile inspection facility thatcan be driven to the location of the damaged object in order to assessthe damaged that has occurred to the object. In certain aspects, themobile inspection facility is configured to inspect the damage that hasoccurred to a vehicle, e.g., following an accident. Accordingly, themobile inspection facility may include an inspection apparatus having asize sufficient to receive a vehicle within an interior space havingsensing devices configured to inspect the vehicle and generateinspection data for the vehicle. The mobile inspection facility may alsobe configured to transmit the inspection data to a remote server that,in response, analyzes the inspection data received to assess the damagethat has occurred to the object and estimate a cost to repair or replacethe damaged object. Additionally or alternatively, the mobile inspectionfacility itself may be configured to assess the damaged to the objectbased on the inspection data generated and estimate a cost to repair orreplace the damaged object.

As described in further detail below, utilizing a mobile inspectionfacility to inspect a damaged object may be particularly advantageous inmultiple circumstances. In one scenario, for example, the damaged objectmay not be able to be moved, e.g., in the case where a vehicle has beendamaged in an accident and is undriveable. In another scenario, multipledamaged objects may all be located at the same place, e.g., following acatastrophe or natural disaster. In each of these scenarios, it may bemore efficient to bring an inspection facility to the damaged objectrather than bring the damaged object to the inspection facility. Wheremultiple vehicles are damaged for example (e.g., following a hail storm)it would be more efficient to deliver a mobile inspection facility tothe area where the hail storm occurred rather than have each vehicletravel to a fixed mobile inspection facility. These and other advantageswill be further appreciated with the benefit of the additionaldisclosures below.

The automated process may utilize various hardware components (e.g.,processors, communication servers, memory devices, sensors, etc.) andrelated computer algorithms to inspect a damaged object, analyze theinspection data obtained, assess the damage that has occurred to theobject, estimate a cost to repair or replace the damaged object, andgenerate and transmit a damage report file associated with the damagedobject. The damage report file that may include information regardingthe damage assessment, an estimated cost to repair or replace thedamaged object, approved vendors and available times for repairingorreplacing the damaged object, and payment to an individual associatedwith the damaged object as compensation for the damage.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of system 100 for inspecting andassessing damage that has occurred to an object that may be usedaccording to an illustrative embodiment of the disclosure. The system100, in this example, includes a damage assessment system 101 which mayhave a processor 103 for controlling overall operation of the damageassessment system 101 and its associated components, including RAM 105,ROM 107, input/output module 109, and memory 115.

Input/output module 109 may include a microphone, keypad, touch screen,and/or stylus through which a user of the damage assessment system 101may provide input, and may also include one or more of a speaker forproviding audio output and a video display device for providing textual,audiovisual and/or graphical output. Software may be stored withinmemory 115 to provide instructions to processor 103 for enabling thedamage assessment system 101 to perform various functions. For example,memory 115 may store software used by the damage assessment system 101,such as an operating system 117, application programs 119, and anassociated database 121. Processor 103 and its associated components mayallow the damage assessment system 101 to run a series ofcomputer-readable instructions to, e.g., receive inspection datagenerated during an inspection of a damaged object, analyze theinspection data to assess the damage that has occurred to the object,estimate a cost to repair or replace the damaged object, and generate adamage report file for the damaged object based on the damage analysisand the estimated repair/replace cost. In addition, the damageassessment system 101 may include computer-readable instructions todetermine an approved list of vendors for replacing and/or repairing thedamaged object and schedule appointments with those vendorsrepair/replace the damaged object.

The damage assessment system 101 may operate in a networked environmentsupporting connections to one or more remote computers, such asterminals 141 and 151 and mobile inspection facility 161. The terminals141 and 151 may be personal computers or servers that include some orall of the elements described above with respect to the damageassessment system 101. The mobile inspection facility may also includesome or all of the elements described above with respect to the damageassessment system 101. Also, terminal 141 and/or 151 and mobileinspection facility 161 may include sensing devices such as cameras andother sensors that allow inspection of a damaged object. The networkconnections depicted in FIG. 1 include a local area network (LAN) 125and a wide area network (WAN) 129, but may also include other networks.When used in a LAN networking environment, the damage assessment system101 is connected to the LAN 125 through a network interface or adapter123. When used in a WAN networking environment, the damage assessmentsystem 101 may include a modem 127 or other means for establishingcommunications over the WAN 129, such as the Internet 131 or a cellularnetwork. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown areillustrative and other means of establishing a communications linkbetween the computers may be used. The existence of any of variouswell-known protocols such as TCP/IP, Ethernet, FTP, HTTP and the like ispresumed.

Additionally, an application programs 119 used by the damage assessmentsystem 101 according to an illustrative embodiment of the disclosure mayinclude computer executable instructions for invoking functionalityrelated to quickly and accurately (e.g., in seconds or minutes) inspectthe damage object, analyze the inspection data generated during theinspection to assess the damage that has occurred to the object, andgenerate a damage report. In one embodiment, the inspection and analysisprocesses discussed herein may occur in ten minutes or less.

The damage assessment system 101, terminals 141 or 151, and/or mobileinspection facility 161 may also include various other components, suchas a battery, speaker, and antennas (not shown).

The disclosure is operational with numerous special purpose computingdevices, systems, and environments. As noted above and described infurther detail below, the system 100 for inspecting and assessing damagethat has occurred to an object includes various devices and componentsprogrammed with instructions that, when executed, cause devices andcomponents to perform, in combination, functionality associated withreceiving inspection data generated during an inspection of a damagedobject, analyzing the inspection data to assess the damage that hasoccurred to the object, estimating a cost to repair or replace thedamaged object, and generating a damage report file for the damagedobject based on the damage analysis and the estimated repair/replacecost.

Aspects of the disclosure may be described in the context ofcomputer-executable instructions. Sets of instructions may be groupedaccording to the particular functionality those instructions provide.Generally, instruction sets include routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks orimplement particular data types. The disclosure may also be practiced indistributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remoteprocessing devices that are linked through a communications network,e.g., a mobile inspection facility for inspecting a damaged object and adamage assessment system located remotely relative to the mobileinspection facility but is in signal communication with the mobileinspection facility via one or more networks. The instruction sets maybe located in both local and remote non-transitory computer storagemedia including memory storage devices, such as a hard disk, randomaccess memory (RAM), and read only memory (ROM). During execution,instructions and/or instruction sets may be loaded into one or more ofthese types of storage devices for execution.

Referring to FIG. 2, a system 200 for implementing methods according tothe present disclosure is shown. As illustrated, system 200 may includeone or more workstations/servers 201. Workstations 201 may be local orremote, and are connected by one or more communications links 202 tocomputer network 203 that is linked via communications links 205 to thedamage assessment system 101. In certain embodiments, workstations 201may different instruction sets used by the damage assessment system 101for receiving inspection data generated during an inspection of adamaged object, analyzing the inspection data to assess the damage thathas occurred to the object, estimating a cost to repair or replace thedamaged object, and generating a damage report file for the damagedobject based on the damage analysis and the estimated repair/replacecost. In system 200, damage assessment system 101 may be any suitableserver, processor, computer, or data processing device, or combinationof the same.

The network 203 may be any suitable wired or wireless network includingthe Internet, an intranet, a wide-area network (WAN), a local-areanetwork (LAN), a wireless network, a digital subscriber line (DSL)network, a frame relay network, an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)network, a virtual private network (VPN), or any combination of any ofthe same. Communications links 202 and 205 may be any communicationslinks suitable for communicating between workstations 201 and the damageassessment system 101, such as network links, dial-up links, wirelesslinks, hard-wired links, etc.

As seen in FIG. 2, the damage assessment system 101 may also be insignal communication via a network 203 and communication links 205 witha mobile inspection facility 207 configured to inspect a damage object.The mobile inspection facility 207 may thus communicate with the damageassessment system 101 to transmit inspection data generated during aninspection of a damaged object as well as to receive commands forcontrolling one or more of the sensing devices of the mobile inspectionfacility.

FIG. 3 shows another block diagram of a system 300 configured toimplement aspects of the present disclosure. The system 300, in thisexample, includes a damage assessment system 302 and a mobile inspectionfacility 304. The damage assessment system 302 and mobile inspectionfacility 304, in this example, are in signal communication with eachother via a network 306.

The mobile inspection facility 304 includes a set of sensing devices308, one or more processors 310, and memory 312 storingcomputer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more of theprocessors, cause the mobile inspection facility to carry out aspects ofthe inspection process. The memory 312 of the mobile inspection facility304, in this example, includes sensor control instructions 314 andinspection instructions 316. The sensor control instructions 314, inthis example, are configured to control one or more of the sensingdevices 308. Accordingly the sensor control instructions 314 may includesubsets of instructions wherein each subset of instructions isconfigured to control a particular sensing device of the mobileinspection facility 304. Control instructions may include, for example,instructions to activate/deactivate the sensor, move the sensor to aparticular position relative to the damage object, take a sensorreading, or transmit a sensor reading (e.g., to the damage assessmentsystem 302). The inspection instructions 316, in this example, areconfigured to carry out an inspection of the damaged object. Theinspection instructions 316 may invoke the sensor control instructions314 during an inspection of a damage object. The inspection instructions316 may, for example, specify a sequence for the sensing devices 308during an inspection and invoke the subsets of sensor controlinstructions 314 according to that sequence. The inspection instructions316 may also be configured to analyze sensor readings obtained by one ormore of the sensing devices 308 during the inspection such that theinspection sequence depends upon those sensor readings. The inspectioninstructions 316 may also include instructions configured to initiate aninspection of a damage object. For example, when a vehicle is receivedwith the area, one or more sensors (e.g., pressure sensors under thewheels of the vehicle, proximity sensors that detect the presence of thebody of the vehicle, etc.) may activate the system and/or indicate thatthe inspection process is ready to begin. Accordingly the inspectioninstructions 316 may be configured such that the inspection processbegins upon receipt of one or more signals from these sensors indicatingan object has been received at the appropriate inspection area withinthe mobile inspection facility 304. The mobile inspection facility mayalso receive sensor control commands 318 from the damage assessmentsystem 302. Accordingly, the inspection instructions 316 may beconfigured to receive these sensor control commands 318 and, in turn,invoke the corresponding sensor control instructions 314 based on thosesensor control commands. In this way, the damage assessment system mayremotely control one or more of the sensing devices 308 at the mobileinspection facility 304 (e.g., remotely move a sensing device to adifferent orientation or position, remotely trigger a sensor reading,and the like). In addition to initiating the inspection process andfacilitating operation of the sensing devices during the inspection, theinspection instructions 316 may be configured to bundle the inspectiondata 320 obtained during the inspection and initiate transmission ofthat inspection data to the damage assessment system 302.

The damage assessment system 302, in this example, also includes one ormore processors 322 and memory 324 storing computer-readableinstructions that, when executed by one or more of the processors, causethe damage assessment system to carry out aspects of the inspectionprocess. The memory 324 of the damage assessment system 302, in thisexample, includes sensor command instructions 325, damage assessmentinstructions 326, repair estimation instructions 328, and damage reportgeneration instructions 330. The sensor command instructions 325, inthis example, are configured to, automatically or in response to userinput received at the damage assessment system 302, transmitinstructions to the mobile inspection facility 304 for remote control ofthe sensing devices 308 during an inspection of a damaged object. As anexample, a user operating one or more input devices (e.g., a joystick)at the damage assessment system 302 may remotely control an imagingdevice at the mobile inspection facility 304. The sensor commandinstructions 325, in this example, may be configured to translate theuser input received into commands for the imaging device, e.g., commandsfor capturing a still or moving image, commands for reorienting theimaging device, commands for repositioning the imaging device, and thelike. Additional examples will be appreciated with the benefit of thisdisclosure. Although not shown in FIG. 3, a damage assessment system(such as the damage assessment system 302) may also include commandinstructions for remotely controlling other components of the mobileinspection facility, e.g., a robotic arm 355 that may be remotelycontrolled to grasp and move components of the object under inspection,a lift to raise or lower the object, a conveyor or turn table to move orrotate the object. The damage assessment system 302 may likewisetransmit these additional command instructions to the mobile inspectionfacility which, in response, may invoke the appropriate componentcontrol instructions based on the commands received. The damageassessment instructions 326, in this example, are configured to analyzethe inspection data 320 received from the mobile inspection facility 304in order to assess the damage that has occurred to the object underinspection. Assessment of the damage that has occurred to the objectunder inspection based on the received inspection data 320 will bediscussed in further detail below. In general, however, the damageassessment instructions 326, in this example, is configured to identifythe various portions and/or components of the object that have beendamaged, the type of the damage, and the extent of the damage. Withrespect to a damaged vehicle, for example, the portions and componentsthat may be damaged include the body panels of the vehicle, the frontand rear windshields, the external mirrors, the front and rear lightingelements, the windows, and other external and internal components. Thetypes of damage that may be identified with respect to a damaged vehicleinclude dents, punctures, tears, cracks, breaks, and the like. Theextent of these types of damage may include, e.g., the depth anddiameter of a dent, the length of a crack, and the like. The repairestimation instructions 328, in this example, are configured to estimatea cost to repair or replace the damage item based on the damageassessment. Estimating a cost to repair or replace the damaged objectwill be discussed in further detail below. In general, however, therepair estimation instructions 328 may, for example, estimate a cost torepair or replace each damaged component of the object (e.g., parts andlabor costs) as well as estimate an overall cost to repair or replacethe damaged object based on the individual estimates for the individualcomponents. The damage report generation instructions 330, in thisexample, are configured to generate a file having one or more of theinspection data received from the mobile inspection facility 302,information associated with the damage assessment, and informationassociated with the estimated cost to repair or replace the damagedobject. The damage report may also include information identifying apayment made to an individual associated with the damaged object (e.g.,a vehicle owner) as compensation for the damage as well as informationidentifying one or more vendors or service provides at which theindividual may have the damage objected repaired or replace.Accordingly, although not shown in FIG. 3, a damage assessment systemmay also include instructions for initiating a payment (e.g., anelectronic payment) to an individual associated with a damage object aswell as identifying vendors or services providers, within the vicinityof the individual, that may repair or replace the damaged object.Additional examples will be appreciated with the benefit of thisdisclosure.

The mobile inspection facility 304 may be dispatched in response to afirst notification of loss associated with a damaged object. Thenotification may be an automated notification of an accident from atelematics device, smart phone, and/or other device to a dispatchcenter. In certain embodiments, if the accident is associated with avehicle (e.g., car, truck, boat, etc.) the telematics device and/orsmart phone may include an impact sensor that automatically transmits anotification of the accident involving the vehicle to the dispatchcenter when certain impact parameters are detected. Additionalinformation such as speed, braking or acceleration for the time periodimmediately preceding and immediately subsequent to the accident as wellas vehicle identifying information or insured information also may betransmitted by the telematics device and/or smart phone to the dispatchcenter. The vehicle identifying information may include license platenumber, vehicle identification number, and/or vehicle make/model.

As noted above, the inspection process may automatically begin once thedamaged object has been received at the inspection area of the mobileinspection facility. In other embodiments, the inspection process may beinitiated by the swipe of an insurance card or card includingidentification information (such as a credit card) through a sensor orcard reader of the mobile inspection facility 302. The insurance card orother card including identification information may include informationrelated to the identity of the claimant (e.g., name, date of birth,terms of active insurance policies, etc.). In other embodiments wherethe damaged object is a vehicle, the inspection process may be initiatedby having a scanner at the mobile inspection facility scan a licenseplate and/or vehicle identification number (VIN).

As noted above, the mobile inspection facility 304 may use one or moresensing devices 308 that are in signal communication with the damageassessment system 302. The sensing devices 308 may functionsimultaneously or sequentially (e.g., the damage object may be movedfrom one sensor station to another) to gather data about the damage thathas occurred to the object under inspection.

The sensing devices 308 may include various types of cameras (e.g.,movable cameras, etc.) for taking optical digital images and/or othercomputing/mechanical devices that may make laser and/or tactilemeasurements. The sensing devices 308 may also measure the interactionof pressure waves (e.g., sound waves) or X-rays on the object to analyzethe damage. In yet other embodiments, various types of imagingtechnologies may be used to analyze the damaged object. For instance,magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), infrared imaging, 3D imagingtechnologies (e.g., holographic imaging, etc.), and/or various types oftomography may be used to image the damaged object. Accordingly theimages obtained may include two-dimensional images, three-dimensionalimages, tomographic images, infrared images, and magnetic resonanceimages. The sensing devices 308 may also sense fluids such astransmission fluids, brake fluids, engine oil, etc. leaking from theobject. In other embodiments, the sensing devices 308 may sense variousaspects of tires that are a part of the object (e.g., when the object isa vehicle). For instance, the sensing devices 308 may indicate that aframe associated with a body or a rim associated with a tire of avehicle is bent.

When the object is a vehicle, one of the sensing devices 308 at themobile inspection facility 304 may dock with an on-board diagnostic(OBD) or OBD-II system that may be a part of the vehicle's electronicssystem. The inspection data 320 may thus include the informationreceived via the OBD or OBD-II system. The information recorded by theOBD or OBD-II system may include coolant temperature, engine RPM,vehicle speed, timing advance, throttle position, oxygen sensorreadings, mileage, and the like. As noted above, this information may betransmitted to the data assessment system 302 for analysis andassessment of any damage that has occurred to the vehicle.

In addition to gathering information through various sensors, the mobileinspection facility 304 may also include an interface for an individualto input information and/or answer questions (e.g., an automatedquestionnaire, etc.) regarding prior damage to the object, liability,the circumstances surrounding an accident, and the like.

In some embodiments, a damage assessment system may be configured todetect fraudulent claims. Accordingly a damage assessment system mayinclude fraud detection instructions configured to analyze theinspection data and any other data received with respect to the damagedobject and determine whether a claim relating to the damage is likely tobe fraudulent. For instance, the automated questionnaire discussed abovemay also ask about an accident associated with the claim. The answers tothe questions regarding the accident may be compared to the actualdamage or sensor or OBD-II readings associated with the object underinspection. If determines that there are discrepancies between theactual damage or sensor or OBD-II readings associated with the damagedobject as measured by the sensing devices 308 and a description of thedamage provided in the answers to the automated questionnaire, then thedamage assessment system 302 may provide a notification to initiate anintervention or other action such as to terminate the damage claim.Also, when the damages object is a vehicle, a damage assessment systemmay compare particulars about the vehicle (e.g., make, model, year ofmanufacture, VIN, etc.) to previously-obtained vehicle information(e.g., stored in a memory associated with the damage assessment systemand/or on file with an entity managing the damage assessment system) inorder to detect potential fraud. Further, if the number of falsepositives for detecting fraud exceeds a predetermined threshold, thenthe instructions for detecting potential fraud (i.e., the frauddetection algorithms) and/or questions used to detect fraud may beadjusted accordingly.

As another example, the damage assessment system 302 may be able toestimate the speed of the vehicle when accident occurred based on theinspection data 320 received. The speed determined by the damageassessment system 302 may be compared with the speed indicated by anindividual in the questionnaire. Finally, the damage assessment system302 may also be able to estimate the number of people and the positionsof each individual in the vehicle when the accident occurred based onthe inspection data 320 received. This information may also be comparedwith the corresponding descriptions indicated by the individual in thequestionnaire.

In other aspects, the damage assessment system 302 may be able tointerface with other databases/systems. For instance, the damageassessment system 302 may interface with meteorological databases toretrieve the weather conditions at the time of an accident associated.The damage assessment system 302 may also interface with law enforcementdatabases to retrieve police reports of the accident or with otherdatabases having medical records or other types of records related topeople involved in the accident.

Once the analysis of the inspection data 320 is complete, the damageassessment system 302 may then generate a damage report file. In certainaspects, the damage assessment system 302 may automatically generate thedamage report file. The damage report file may include the assessment ofthe damage to the object (e.g., portions or components damaged, the typeof damage, and the extent of the damage), approved vendors withavailable times for repairing and/or replacing the damaged object, alist of parts and part vendors for repairing the damaged object, a listof replacements and replacement sources for the damaged object, variousportions or components of the damaged object where repair is notfeasible, and information identifying a payment or wire transfer to anindividual associated with the damaged object as compensation for theassessed damage to the object. Additionally or alternatively, if theindividual associated with the damaged object is provided compensationfor the damage to the object, the damage assessment system 302 or themobile inspection facility 304 may generate a payment card (e.g., aprepayment card) with the compensation amount.

In another aspect of the disclosure, the damage report file maystipulate various terms for settling a claim associated with the damagedobject. Such terms may include discounts provided to the individualassociated with the damaged object for errors in inspecting the damagedobject or assessing the damage that occurred to the damaged object. Forinstance, the damage report file may provide for a predetermineddiscount (e.g., a 10% discount on future products and/or services) forany out-of-pocket expense associated with replacing/repairing thedamaged object if the damage assessment system 302 does not detect allof the damage associated with the object (e.g., hidden damage) and/or ifthe estimated cost of repairing or replacing the damaged object is notaccurate (e.g., as determined by an adjustor or a third party vendorsuch as a repair shop). Moreover, once the damage report file has beengenerated, the information in file may be transmitted to a computingdevice of an individual associated with the damaged object (e.g., theowner of a damaged vehicle).

In general, the damage report file may resolve all the issues associatedwith settling a claim involving the damaged object. Additionally oralternatively, if the damage report file does not resolve all the issues(e.g., damage cannot be assessed, there is disagreement between theindividual and the claims processor, etc.) or for verification ortraining associated with settling a claim for the damaged object, thedamage assessment system 302 may refer the individual to an adjuster forgenerating or verifying a finalized estimate of any damage.

The adjuster may, for example, remotely control the sensing devices 308via the damage assessment system 302 in order to conduct a remoteinspection of the damaged object at the mobile inspection facility 304.For example, the sensing devices 308 may be remotely controlled to viewthe damaged object through a video feed, and various sensing devices(e.g., imaging devices) may be remotely manipulated to capture a desiredview using the sensor control commands as described above. For instance,the damage assessment system 302 may transmit sensor control commands318 to the mobile inspection facility 304 that instruct a sensing device308 to move to a given angle. Additionally or alternatively, the damageditem may be directly manipulated by remotely controllable manipulatorsto facilitate inspection of the damaged object from a desired view. Forinstance, the damage assessment system 302 may transmit control commandsto the mobile inspection facility to move robotic arms 355 or lifts thatare able to reposition the damaged object itself or components of thedamaged object in order to provide a preferred view.

The sensing devices 308 of the mobile inspection facility 304 maygenerate inspection data 320 that enables the production of holograms(e.g., based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or other techniquesusing predictive computer-aided design (CAD)-type technologies, etc.)for viewing the damaged object. The holograms may representthree-dimensional images of the damaged object and may provide views ofthe exterior of the damaged object as well as features internal to thedamaged object. For instance, a hologram may provide views of thedifferent components comprising a vehicle's engine that permits analysisin ways that would not be feasible with other imaging techniques.

In some aspects, the damage assessment instructions 326 may utilizemanufacturing specifications and/or tolerances data associated with thedamaged object. The damage assessment instructions 326 may also causedeletion of any inspection data that are not relevant to the damageassessment, e.g., images and other inspection data that are deemed notrelevant based on a comparison to manufacturingspecifications/tolerances. The damage assessment system 302 may permitaccess to the inspection data 320 obtained by the mobile inspectionfacility 304 or the damage report file generated by the damageassessment system 302 (e.g., by the individual associated with thedamaged object). In some embodiments, the damage assessment system 302may initiate transmission of the payment to either the individualassociated with the damaged object or a third-party vendor/serviceprovider (e.g., for repairing/replacing the damaged object).

In other aspects, the damage assessment system 302 may initiate theapplication of a deductible amount to a claim associated with thedamaged object. In addition, the damage assessment system 302 and/or themobile inspection facility 304 may also automatically generatecross-sell material (e.g., for other products/services) for review whilean individual waits for the inspection process, the damage assessmentprocess, and/or the damage report generation process to complete.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an inspection facility 400 employing inaccordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 showsan example of how the inspection facility may be used when the object tobe inspected is a vehicle 401. In FIG. 4, an owner of vehicle 401 mayfile a claim for damage to vehicle 401. The owner may providenotification of the claim through any of the various techniquesmentioned above, including automatic notification via a telematicsdevice driving to a predetermined location associated with theinspection facility 400. The inspection facility 400 may inspect thevehicle 401 using various sensing devices 403 (e.g., cameras, tactilesensors, ultrasonic sensors, electromagnetic sensors, etc.), which arehoused within the inspection facility 400 as shown by way of example inFIG. 4. The inspection facility 400 may transmit to a damage assessmentsystem the inspection data generated by the sensing device 403 whichmay, in turn, analyze that inspection data in order to determine damagecaused to vehicle 401 and generate a damage report file for the vehicle401. The inspection facility, in this example, also includes a userinterface 405 through which a user may perform various activities. Forinstance, a user may swipe an insurance card at the user interface 405as well as view/print photos, inspection data, and other informationgenerated by the inspection facility 400 or the damage assessment systemin signal communication with the inspection facility.

As seen in FIG. 4, the inspection facility 400, in this example, is afixed inspection facility. Accordingly the vehicle 401 must be broughtto the inspection facility wherever it is located, e.g., driven to theinspection facility, towed to the inspection facility, or otherwisedelivered to the inspection facility. As described in further detailbelow, however, the inspection facility may be mobilized and thus movedto the location of the vehicle where, for example, the vehicle cannot bebrought to the inspection facility or it would be more efficient tobring the inspection facility to wherever the vehicle is located inorder to perform the inspection.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart 500 of example method steps for operatinga mobile inspection facility to assess the damage that has occurred toan object in accordance with aspects described herein. Informationindicating the location of a damaged object may be received (block 502),e.g., at a dispatch center. This information may be received in variousways. For instance, either an automatic or a manual notification may betransmitted from a communication device operated by an individualassociated with the damaged object or the damaged object itself, e.g., avehicle telematics devices or a collision detection system. After thisinitial receipt of information indicating the location of a damagedobject, the mobile inspection facility may be driven to that location(block 504), and the damaged object may be received within a housing ofthe mobile inspection facility (block 506). As described in furtherdetail below, the damaged object may be a vehicle and driven into thehousing of the mobile inspection facility. Additionally oralternatively, the mobile inspection facility may be configured withopenings such that the vehicle may remain stationary and pass throughthose openings when the mobile inspection facility is driven past thevehicle. Within the housing of the mobile inspection facility, thedamaged object is positioned at an inspection area (block 508). Thesensing devices of the mobile inspection facility are also positionedwithin the housing and oriented such that they are aimed at theinspection area. Once positioned at the inspection area within thehousing of the mobile inspection facility, the inspection process maybegin, and one or more sensing devices of the mobile inspection facilitymay be operated to generate inspection data for the object underinspection (block 510).

As noted above, the sensing devices of the mobile inspection facilitymay be remotely controlled. Accordingly, if a command for a sensingdevice is received from a remote server (block 512:Y), then the selectedsensing device may be operated in accordance with the command received(block 514). One or more of the sensing devices may be remotelycontrolled during the inspection process based on commands received froma remote server. As also noted above, the sensing devices may operatesequentially or in parallel until the inspection process is complete. Asalso explained above, inspection instructions stored at the mobileinspection facility may control the operation of the sensing devicesduring the inspection process.

Once the inspection is complete (block 516:Y), the mobile inspectionfacility may transmit the inspection data generated by the sensingdevices to a damage assessment system (block 518). The damage assessmentsystem may analyze the inspection data received in order to assess thedamage that has occurred to the object under inspection (block 520) andestimate a cost to repair or replace the object based on the damageidentified (block 522). The damage assessment system may also generate adamage assessment report file that includes the damage assessments andthe estimated repair or replace costs and transmit the damage assessmentreport to an individual associated with the object under inspection(block 522). As described in further detail below, the mobile inspectionfacility itself may additionally or alternatively include instructionsfor analyzing the inspection data generated by the sensing devices, forestimating repair/replace costs based on the assessed damage, and forgenerating the damage report file provided to the individual.

The damage assessment instructions may include various algorithms toanalyze the inspection data generated by the sensing devices. Theinspection instructions may include predefined rules for inspectingparticular portions or components of the object under inspection, andthe damage assessment instructions may also include predefined rules foranalyzing the inspection data generated for those particular portions orcomponents. For instance, if the object under inspection is a vehicle,the damage assessment instructions may utilize object recognitionalgorithms to determine the make/model of the vehicle and to comparephotos of damaged portions or components of the vehicle with photos ofsimilar portions or components of an undamaged vehicle, such as photosobtained from a manufacturer's specification. The object recognitionalgorithms may track one or many multiple specific points of a portionor component of the vehicle to determine which portions or componentsmay be damaged. For instance, to determine if a door has actually beendamaged, the algorithms may track the center of a door to determine ifthe center is at an appropriate distance from an edge of the door. Thisanalysis may also be used to determine the extent or level of damage tothe car door (e.g., whether the door may be repaired or should insteadbe replaced). As another example, one or more of the sensing devices mayutilize infrared imaging technology to image the temperature of variouscomponents within a vehicle's engine. By cross-referencing thetemperature profile with the heat tolerances set by the manufacturer,the damage assessment instructions may determine that the vehicle 401may need certain engine components replaced (e.g., a new timing belt,muffler, etc.). As yet another example, tactile sensing devices thatcontact the contour of a vehicle may determine that certain body partsassociated with the vehicle have dents and/or scratches that requirerepair.

In other aspects, the object recognition algorithms used to determinethe make/model of the vehicle may be defined by manufacturer orafter-market specifications and appropriate tolerances. For instance, amanufacturer specification may define the exact dimensions of a car doorand/or an engine part. Because each manufacturer specification may havedifferent definitions and tolerances, the damage assessment instructionsmay retrieve the appropriate specification based on predefined criteria.

In analyzing the inspection data obtained for the object underinspection, the damage assessment instructions may also determine thelevel or extent of particular damage. For example, the damage assessmentinstructions may determine whether the damage to the object is smallenough to be repaired or large enough to require replacement of theobject and/or a part or component of the object.

As noted above, the damage report file may include informationidentifying the type of damage assessed, the extent of the damage, andestimated repair or replace information that may be cross-referencedagainst accessible pricing information. For instance, where a vehicle isdamaged, the damage assessment instructions may access pricinginformation for replacing the vehicle or a component of the vehicle aswell as pricing information for repairing the damage to the vehicle. Thepricing information may be stored in internal databases associated withthe mobile inspection facility and/or damage assessment system.Additionally or alternatively the pricing information may be stored inremotely located databases and/or through pricing information fromvendors found on the Internet. The analysis of the inspection datagenerated by the sensing devices and the pricing informationcross-referenced from this analysis may form the basis for anysettlement of a claim for the damage to the object.

As mentioned earlier, the damage report file may include a cost estimatefor replacing/repairing the damaged object, a list of vendors that willrepair/replace the damage object, the contact information (phone number,address, etc.) and the hours of availability for those vendors, andinformation identifying a payment or wire transfer that serves ascompensation for the damage that occurred to the object. The damagereport generation instructions may generate the list of vendors andassociated information by accessing information stored ininternal/remote databases (e.g., accessing the web pages of thevendors). To determine the vendors that are most convenient for aparticular individual, the inspection data may include globalpositioning system (GPS) data, and the damage report generationinstructions may map the closest distance of various vendors with thehome/work address of the individual or the location of the damagedobject.

As also noted above, the damage report file may be transmitted to theindividual associated with the damaged object. In some embodiments, themobile inspection facility may include an interface at which theindividual may access the damage report file. In other embodiments, theindividual may receive the through an electronic device (e.g., laptop,mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), etc.). After theindividual receives the damage report file, the individual may use theinformation for replacing and/or repairing the damaged object. Inparticular, if the damage to the object is greater than a predeterminedthreshold, the individual may use the information in the damage reportfile to find a replacement for the object (e.g., a new car, etc.). Inother embodiments, the payment associated with damage report file may betransmitted directly to one of the approved vendors associated withreplacing/repairing the damaged object. The individual may then take thedamaged object to the vendor to have the object repaired and/orreplaced. In yet other embodiments, several different vendors may bid torepair or replace the damaged object. In this instance, the mobileinspection facility and/or the damage assessment system may transmitdata related to the damage (e.g., photos, other inspection data, etc.)to allow the vendors to generate a price quote. Once the bids arereceived from all the vendors, the mobile inspection facility and/or thedamage assessment system may select the best (e.g., based on factorssuch as quality, location, and price) bid for repairing/replacing thedamaged object.

If there are any unresolved issues in the damage report file and/or ifthe individual has any unanswered questions, the individual may bereferred to a personal adjuster. In other cases, a personal adjuster mayreceive the case if the damage to the object is beyond a predeterminedthreshold.

In some embodiments, vendors/claimants may transmit feedback to thedamage assessment system so that the damage assessment system maydetermine the accuracy of the repair/replace estimate as determined forthe damage report file. In this case, the repair estimation instructionsmay be updated as needed to create more accurate estimates. Forinstance, if the repair estimate instructions repeatedly predict thatthe cost to repair a certain type of damage to a car door is $200 abovewhat is being charged by vendors, the repair estimation instructions maybe updated (e.g., the estimation algorithms may be updated) to reducerepair estimate generated when the sensing devices detect this type ofdamage in the future. Further yet, if the repair estimate instructionspredict that damage to a vehicle is so severe that the vehicle needs tobe replaced, and the feedback indicates that repair shops are insteadable to fix the damage for less than the replacement cost, the repairestimate instructions may also be similarly updated to associate thattype and extent of damage with a repair cost based on the feedbackreceived.

FIG. 6 illustrates a first example of an implementation of a mobileinspection facility 600 (e.g., an inspection facility on wheels)employing in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.In particular, the mobile inspection facility 600 in FIG. 6 illustratesthe configuration and operation of the mobile inspection facility whenthe damaged object is a vehicle 601. The mobile inspection facility 600,in this example, includes a vehicle 602 and thus may be capable ofmoving to the site of an accident or catastrophe (e.g., via wheels 609)to assess damage to vehicle 601. In one example, the mobile inspectionfacility 600 may move to an accident or catastrophe site after receivinga notification at a dispatch center. In some aspects, the dispatchcenter may issue an alert or some other alarm indicating that the mobileinspection facility 600 should be moved to an accident or catastrophesite after receipt of the notification.

In some aspects, the vehicle 602 may be a flatbed truck having aplatform 604 on which a housing 606 rests behind a cab 610 (i.e.,driver's compartment) of the vehicle 602. The housing 606, in thisexample, includes an opening 608 that is sized and shaped so as topermit passage of a vehicle into the housing. In some exampleembodiments, the width of the opening 608 may be based on the width of atraffic lane so as to ensure the vehicle to be inspected may be receivedwithin the housing 606 through the opening 608. In some exampleembodiments, for example, the width of the opening may be between 8 feetand 15 feet. The height of the opening 608 may be based on a maximumheight of the vehicles that are expected to be inspected using themobile inspection facility 600 also to ensure the vehicle to beinspected may be received within the housing 606 through the opening608. In some example embodiments, for example, the height of the openingmay be between 6 feet and 10 feet. The length of the housing 606 maysimilarly be based on a maximum length of the vehicles that are expectedto be inspected using the mobile inspection facility 600 so as to ensurethe vehicle may be received within the housing and positioned at aninspection area 607. In some example embodiments, for example, thelength of the housing 606 may be such that a vehicle having a length upto 25 feet in length may be received within the housing and positionedat the inspection area 607. Other dimensions for the housing and itsopening may be employed, for example, based on the average and/ormaximum vehicle dimensions in the region where the mobile inspectionfacility 600 is employed. These additional and alternative dimensionsare thus contemplated in the present disclosure.

Once the mobile inspection facility 600 reaches an accident site, thevehicle 601 to be inspected may be driven, hoisted, pushed, or pulledthrough the opening 608, into the housing 606, and positioned at theinspection area 607. In particular, the mobile inspection facility 600may include a ramp 611 that extends between a rear edge 614 of theplatform 604 and a ground level 616 thus allowing the vehicle 601 tomove from the ground level to the inspection area 607 within the housing606. In other aspects, the mobile inspection facility 600 may allow fora crane to lift the vehicle 601 from a first level into the inspectionarea 607. In this embodiment, a roof 612 of the housing 606 may retractso the crane can lower the vehicle 601 into the housing 606 and positionthe vehicle at the inspection area 607. This embodiment of the mobileinspection facility may be especially useful when the vehicle 601 thatis disabled. Further still, the housing 606 may be lowered or raised(e.g., hydraulically) move to the level on which vehicle 601 rests.

Once inside the housing 606, the sensing devices 603 may be aimed at theinspection area 607 to generate inspection data for the vehicle 601.Although the sensing devices 603 are shown as located inside the housing606, some of the sensing devices 603 may be located elsewhere tofacilitate the inspection of the vehicle 601. In addition, a user mayoperate the user interface 605 to view/print photos, data, and otherinformation generated during the inspection. During this process, themobile inspection facility may drive the vehicle 601 to a destination ofchoice, including a repair facility, the owner's home, the junkyard,etc. In some aspects, the mobile inspection facility 600 may alert thedriver of the mobile inspection facility that it is ready to be moved toan alternative location.

FIG. 7A illustrates a second example of a mobile inspection facility700a. The mobile inspection facility 700a, in this example, includes adamage assessment system 701a (which may be the same as or at leastsimilar to the damage assessment systems 101 and 302 discussed above), ahousing 702a, and an inspection area 707a within the housing. The mobileinspection facility 700a, in this example, is motorized to allow formovement (e.g., via wheels 709a) from one location to another. Themobile inspection facility 700a includes a vehicle 704a to which thehousing 702a is mounted, and a driver may sit in the compartment 713a ofthe vehicle 704a to drive the mobile inspection facility to, e.g., thelocation of an accident. The vehicle 704a thus provides the engine formotorized transport of the mobile inspection facility 700a. The housing702a of the mobile inspection facility 700a, in this example, is mountedto a lateral side of the vehicle 704a, e.g., the left lateral side. Thehousing 702a of the mobile inspection facility thus includes wheels 709aproximate to an outer lateral wall 746 to support the housing whentraveling between locations. As seen in FIG. 7A, the wheels 709aproximate to the outer lateral wall 746, in this example, are positionedsubstantially underneath the outer lateral wall.

Once the mobile inspection facility 700a arrives, e.g., at an accidentsite, the vehicle 744a may move or be moved into the inspection area707a of the housing 702a. In this example, the mobile inspectionfacility 700a is configured to raise and lower the housing 702a in orderto permit entry of the vehicle 744a into the housing and exit of thevehicle from the housing. Accordingly the mobile inspection facility700a may include a mechanical elevation system 735 to move the housing702a between a raised position and a lowered position at which a vehiclemay enter and exit the housing. In FIG. 7A, the housing 702a is shown tobe in its lowered position as indicated by arrow 706a. The housing 702aof the mobile inspection facility 700a, in this example, also includesan extendable and retractable ramp 711a to assist entry and exit of thevehicle 744a. When the housing 702a is at the lowered position, the ramp711a may extend outward from its retracted position to an extendedposition in order to provide a relatively smooth pathway from a firstlevel (e.g., ground) to a second level of the housing 702a, e.g., thefloor 708a of inspection area 707a. After the vehicle 744a has exitedthe housing 702a of the mobile inspection facility 700a, the ramp 711amay retract from its extended position to its retracted position. Insome example implementations, the ramp may be positioned within a cavityformed by the housing when in the retracted position.

When the vehicle 744a is in a drivable state, a driver may drive thevehicle into the housing 702a of the mobile inspection facility 700a inorder to position the vehicle at the inspection area 707a. When theinspection is complete, the driver may then drive the vehicle out of thehousing. In some example implementations, a housing of a mobileinspection facility may include two openings disposed opposite eachother, e.g., an entry way and an exit way, that allows a driver to drivea vehicle in a first direction (e.g., forward) through the firstopening. position the vehicle at the inspection area, and then continuedriving the vehicle in that same direction (e.g., forward) to exit thehousing through the second opening. In other example implementations, ahousing of an mobile inspection facility may include only one openingsuch that the vehicle enters the housing through the opening going in afirst direction (e.g., forward) and exits the housing through thatopening going in a second direction (e.g., backward). In some exampleimplementations, the sensors positioned within the housing may bearranged such that the vehicle must be facing a particular direction inorder to perform the analysis, e.g., facing the same direction as thevehicle of the mobile inspection facility. In other exampleimplementations, the sensors may be arranged such that the inspectionmay be performed regardless of the direction the vehicle is facingduring the inspection. For example, the set of sensors arranged on theright side of the housing may match the set of sensors arranged on theleft side of the housing in order to fully inspect the vehicleregardless of the direction the vehicle faces.

A mobile inspection facility may also include one or more devices 655and 665 to assist bringing a vehicle into the housing and positioningthe vehicle at the inspection area when the vehicle is in an undriveablestate. Such mechanisms 655 and 665 may include a winch, hoist, orconveyor each configured to move the vehicle from its resting positioninto the housing. The winch, for example, may use a hook and cable totow the vehicle into the housing. The winch may be a hand-powered winch(e.g., having a hand crank), may be powered by the vehicle of the mobileinspection facility, or have its own independent power source. The hoistmay lift the vehicle from its resting position, carry it into thehousing, and deposit the vehicle at the inspection area. The conveyor655 may, in some implementations, include a motorized conveyor beltpositioned on or within the floor of the housing operate by “catching”the wheels of the vehicle (e.g., when the vehicle is pushed to the edgeof the conveyor) and transporting the vehicle to the inspection areawithin the housing. The conveyor 655 may alternatively include a seriesof lineshaft rollers positioned on or within the floor of the housingthat facilitate pushing the vehicle into the housing. In some exampleimplementations, the lineshaft rollers may freely rotate about a centralshaft. In other example implementations, the lineshaft rollers may berotationally driven to provide further assistance in bringing thevehicle into the housing. The sensors positioned within the housing mayinclude sensors that indicate when the vehicle is correctly positionedat the inspection area. The devices discussed above may likewisefacilitate moving the vehicle out of the housing once the inspection iscomplete. The direction of the conveyer 655, for example, may bereversed to transport the vehicle out of the housing. Additionalexamples will be appreciated with the benefit of this disclosure.

As seen in FIG. 7A, once inside inspection area 707a, the sensors 703amay perform an inspection of the vehicle 744a and damage assessmentsystem 701a may then analyze the sensor data generated during theinspection and assess whether any damage has occurred to the vehicle744a as well as the type and extent of that damage. In addition, a usermay operate user interface 705a to view/print photos, data, and otherinformation about the damage associated with vehicle 744a.

FIG. 7B illustrates a second example of a mobile inspection facility700b with a damage assessment system 701b, a vehicle 704b, and a housing702b mounted to the vehicle and having an inspection area 707b inaccordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. In FIG. 7B,the mobile inspection facility 700b is shown with the housing 702b inthe raised position as indicated by arrow 706b. By raising the housing702b to the raised position, the mobile inspection facility may be 700bto be moved (e.g., via wheels 709b) from one location to another. Asseen in FIG. 7B, the housing 702b, in this example, may be raised withthe vehicle 744b positioned inside. In this way, a driver sitting in thecompartment 713b of the vehicle 704b may drive the mobile inspectionfacility 700b to another location (e.g., to a car repair shop). Asdescribed above-ramp 711b in FIG. 7B has been retracted to allow themobile inspection facility 700b to be driven between locations. Themobile inspection facility 700b may thus perform the inspection of thevehicle 744b while moving between locations.

To allow for real-time communication with third parties (e.g., repairfacilities, law enforcement personnel, etc.), the damage assessmentsystem 701b and/or the mobile inspection facility itself may be equippedwith one or more communication device (e.g., modem 127, wireless device,satellite dishes, etc.).

Referring now to FIGS. 8A and 8B, an additional implementation of amobile inspection facility 800 is shown. Like the mobile inspectionfacility discussed above with reference to FIGS. 7A-B, the mobileinspection facility includes a vehicle 802, a housing 804 mounted to thevehicle, and an inspection area 806 positioned within the housing atwhich a vehicle 808 can be inspected using various sensors 810positioned throughout the interior of the housing and aimed at theinspection area. Like the housing described above with reference toFIGS. 7A-B, the housing 804, in this example, is configured to movebetween a raised up position and a lowered position as indicated by thearrow 812. The vehicle 802 may include controls for raising and loweringthe housing 804. The housing 804 may be moved to its raised up positionprior to driving the mobile inspection facility 800 to a new location.The housing 804 may then be lowered until a bottom surface of thehousing rests on or close to the ground. The housing 804 also includesopenings 814 and 816 size and shaped to permit passage of the vehicle808 into the housing. The housing 804, in this example, includes a frontopening 814 formed in a front side wall 818 of the housing as well as arear opening 816 formed in a rear side wall 820 of the housing andpositioned opposite the front opening. As seen in FIG. 8A, the frontside wall 818 and the rear side wall 820 are both substantiallyperpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle 802. The lowersurface 822 of the housing 804, in this example, forms a passageway 824that extends between the front opening 814 and the rear opening 816 ofthe housing. The passageway 824 is also sized and shaped to permitpassage of the vehicle 808 into and through the housing 804 as well asthrough the openings 814 and 816. The passageway 824 may thus have awidth between about 8 feet to about 15 feet. As seen in FIG. 8, thesensors 810 may be arranged within the housing 804 on either side of thepassageway 824 next to the side walls 826 of the housing.

As seen in FIG. 8A and indicated by the arrow 828, the mobile inspectionfacility 800 may be driven past the vehicle 808 in order to receivethrough one of the openings 814 or 816. The mobile inspection facility800 may position the housing 804 such that one of the openings 814 or816 is lined up with the vehicle 808 and then drive past the vehicle inorder to position the vehicle at the inspection area. The housing 804may include one or more sensors to assist the driver of the vehicle 802in lining up the openings 814 or 816 of the housing 804 with the vehicle808. The sensors may include, for example, proximity sensors positionedaround the perimeter of the opening that indicate how close the vehicleis to the edge of the opening and activate an alarm if the vehiclescomes within a predetermined distance of that edge. The sensors may alsoinclude a camera that provides a real-time video feed of the exteriorarea adjacent to any openings of the housing, e.g., the area in front ofor behind the housing. The housing 804, in this example, includes acamera 830 mounted to the front side wall 818 above the front opening814 that images the area in front of the front opening 814. The camera830 may provide a real-time video feed to a display device 832 locatedin the vehicle 802 which a driver may view when positioning the housing804 behind the vehicle. The video presented at the display device 832may include an overlay image depicting the edges of the opening 814 inorder to indicate the position of the vehicle to be received within thehousing 804 relative to the edges of the opening. As discussed furtherbelow, instructions and other indicators may accompany the video feed toassist the driver in aligning the opening of the housing with thevehicle. The housing 804 may also include a camera mounted to the rearside wall 820 above the rear opening 816 and likewise image the areabehind the rear opening 816. In this way the housing 804 may bepositioned either behind or in front of the vehicle 808 and respectivelydriven either forward or backward to receive the vehicle within thehousing. The configuration of the openings 814 and 816 and thepassageway 824 between them may be useful when there is a need tpinspect vehicles that cannot enter the housing under their own power.The housing 804 may instead be aligned with the vehicle and drivenforward/backward in order to receive the vehicle through one of theopenings 814 or 816. In some example implementations, a mobileinspection facility may include only a front opening and a passagewayextending from the front opening into the housing.

Referring now to FIG. 8B, the mobile inspection facility 800 is shownwithout the sensors 810 or the vehicle 808 in order to better illustratethe configuration of the housing 804. As seen in FIG. 8B, the housing804 forms an interior chamber 834 bounded by a front side wall 818, arear side wall 820, and two lateral side walls 826a-b. As seen in FIG.8B, the lateral side wall 826a is positioned adjacent to the lateralside of the vehicle 802, and the lateral side wall 826b is disposedopposite the lateral side of the vehicle and the lateral side wall 826a.As described above, the front side wall 818 forms a front opening 814that is sized and shaped to allow passage of a vehicle, and the rearside wall 820 likewise forms a rear opening 816 that is also sized andshaped to allow passage of a vehicle. As also described above, the lowersurface 822 of the housing forms a passageway 824 that extends betweenthe front opening 814 and the rear opening 816. The passageway 824 maylikewise have a width that allows passage of a vehicle.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example scenario in which a mobile inspectionfacility may be utilized to inspect multiple vehicles 902-908. As seenin FIG. 9, the vehicles 902-908 have been lined up behind each other toallow the mobile inspection facility 900 to inspect each vehicle insequence. By lining up the vehicles, the mobile inspection facility 900may position its housing 908 at the end of the line of vehicles 902-908with openings 910 and 912 of the housing aligned with those vehicles.Then, as seen in FIG. 9, the mobile inspection facility may drive thehousing down the line of vehicles 902-908 stopping at each vehicle toperform an inspection. Additionally or alternatively, the mobileinspection facility 900 may be driven to and parked at a location and,rather than drive the mobile inspection facility down a line ofvehicles, the vehicles themselves may drive through the housing forinspection.

FIGS. 10A-D illustrate the sequence of movements a mobile inspectionfacility 1000 may perform to receive a vehicle 1002 within its housing1004. As seen in FIG. 10A, the mobile inspection facility 1000 may alignthe front opening 1006 of the housing 1004 with the vehicle 1002. Then,as seen in FIG. 10B, the mobile inspection facility 1000 may then driveforward to receive the vehicle 1002 through the front opening 1006 andinto the housing 1004. Once the vehicle 1002 has been received withinthe housing 1004 and positioned at the inspection area 1010, as seen inFIG. 10C, the mobile inspection facility may perform the inspection ofthe vehicle as described above. After the inspection is complete, themobile inspection facility 1000 may continue driving forward, as seen inFIG. 10D, such that the vehicle 1002 exits the housing 1004 through itsrear opening 1008. As described above, the mobile inspection facility1000 may also perform the same movements in reverse such that thehousing 1004 is driven backwards to receive the vehicle 1002 through therear opening 1008 and such that the vehicle exits the housing throughthe front opening 1006 when the inspection is complete. As noted above,the housing of a mobile inspection facility may also only include afront opening or a rear opening. In these example implementations, thehousing may be driven forward and backward such that the vehicle entersand exits the housing through the same opening, e.g., a front opening ora rear opening.

FIG. 11 illustrates another example of an implementation of a mobileinspection facility 1100. The mobile inspection facility 1100, in thisexample, includes both the sensing devices 1102 used to perform theinspection of an object as well as the instructions for analyzing theinspection data generated by the sensing devices and collected duringthe inspection. The mobile inspection facility 1100, in this example,thus includes memory 1104 storing instruction sets that, when executed,carry out the inspection and analyze the inspection data obtained. Theinstructions sets may be similar to the instruction sets discussed abovewith reference to FIG. 3. The memory 1104 of the mobile inspectionfacility 1100, in this example, thus includes sensor controlinstructions 1106 configure to control one or more of the sensingdevices 1102 during the inspection either automatically or in responseto user input, inspection instructions 1108 configured to invoke thesensor control instructions during an inspection to activate one or moreof the sensing devices and control the sequence of the inspection,damage assessment instructions 1110 that analyze the inspection dataobtained in order to assess the damage that has occurred to the object,and repair estimation instructions 1112 configured to estimate a cost torepair or replace the object based on the damage assessment.

Referring now to FIGS. 12A-B, two example interfaces 1200a and 1200bconfigured to assist receiving an object 1202 to be inspected within ahousing of a mobile inspection facility are shown. In this example, theobject 1202 to be inspected is a vehicle. The interfaces 1202a-b may bepresented at a display device 1204 (e.g., a video screen). Theinterfaces 1200a-b, in this example, present a video feed of the area infront of (or behind) an opening of the housing of the mobile inspectionfacility. A driver may thus monitor the video feed when maneuvering themobile inspection facility to receive the vehicle 1202 within itshousing.

The interface 1200a-b also present various image overlays on the videofeed to further assist the driver in maneuvering the mobile inspectionfacility. As seen in FIGS. 12A-B, for example, the interfaces 1200a-bpresent overlays 1206a and 1206b that represent the wall of the housingan indicate the position of the vehicle 1202 relative to the edges ofthe opening 1208. In this way, the driver can determine whether thehousing should be steered right or left in order to align the opening1208 with the vehicle 1202. The interfaces 1200a-b also present anoverlay image 1210 corresponding to the midline of the opening which thedriver may likewise use to align the opening 1208 with the vehicle 1202.The interfaces 1200a-b, in this example, are also configured to presentinstructions indicating whether the vehicle is aligned or offsetrelative to the opening 1208. As seen in FIG. 12A, for example, thevehicle 1202 is offset to the right of the opening 1208. An instruction1212 presented on the interface 1200a thus indicates the driver shouldsteer to the right in order to better align the vehicle 1202 with theopening 1208. An audio output device 1216 that outputs a warning tone1218 when the vehicle 1202 is not aligned with the opening 1208. In FIG.12B, the vehicle 1202 is aligned with the opening 1208 as indicated bythe midline overlay image 1210. Accordingly the interface 1200b presentsan instruction 1214 indicating it is safe to drive the mobile inspectionfacility forward to receive the vehicle 1202 within its housing. Theaudio output device 1216 may output a confirmation tone 1220 when thevehicle 1202 is aligned with the opening 1208. The mobile inspectionfacility may include, e.g., proximity sensors positioned near theopening of the housing that provide the signals used to determine theposition of the vehicle relative to the opening. Additional features ofthe interfaces 1200a-b will be appreciated with the benefit of thisdisclosure.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example use case for using the mobile inspectionfacility 1300 to inspect multiple objects residing at a location. InFIG. 13, the objects under inspection are again vehicles 1302. Thevehicles 1302, in this example, have been arranged along a circular paththat the mobile inspection facility 1300 may follow to sequentiallyinspect the vehicles 1302 in a continuous fashion. In addition, once avehicle 1304 has been inspected, that vehicle may leave the line tocreate a space for a new vehicle 1306 that takes its place in line. Themobile inspection facility 1300 may thus inspect that new vehicle 1306upon returning to that point in the path. Other vehicles may similarlyexit and enter the line of vehicles as the mobile inspection facility1300 completes its inspections of vehicles. This arrangement thusprovides an efficient process for inspecting multiple vehicles residingat the same location. Although the vehicles 1302 are shown to bearranged along a circular pathway in FIG. 13, any type of pathway thatpermits continuous inspection of the vehicles may be selectivelyemployed by iteratively traversing that pathway may be selectivelyemployed.

One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the methods andsystems discussed herein may be applied to all forms of insurance (e.g.,home, auto, etc.) and financial services. For instance, themethods/systems of this disclosure (e.g., enhanced claims settlementserver 101, handheld devices, etc.) may be used to process a homeowner'sclaim (e.g., for an insured home).

Aspects of the invention have been described in terms of illustrativeembodiments thereof. Numerous other embodiments, modifications andvariations will occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art from areview of this disclosure. For example, one of ordinary skill in the artwill appreciate that the steps discussed herein may be performed inother than the recited order, and that one or more steps may be optionalin accordance with aspects of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a vehicle; a housingmounted to a lateral side of the vehicle, the housing comprising beingsized and shaped to house a damaged vehicle, wherein the housingcomprises an interior chamber and, an area within the interior chamberat which an object the damaged vehicle is positionable, an opening sizedand shaped to permit passage of the damaged vehicle into and out of theinterior chamber, and one or more wheels proximate to an outer lateralwall of the housing, and wherein the housing, while mounted to thevehicle, is positionable between a raised position and a loweredposition; and a plurality of sensing devices positioned within theinterior chamber of the housing and aimed at the area, each one of theplurality of sensing devices being configured to generate sensor datacorresponding to the object damaged vehicle.
 2. The apparatus of claim1, wherein: the object is a damaged vehicle; and the housing is sizedand shaped to house the damaged vehicle.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein: the housing comprises an opening sized and shaped to permitpassage of the damaged vehicle into and out of the interior chamber ofthe housing.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 1, wherein: the opening has awidth between about 8 feet to about 15 feet.
 5. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein: the opening has a width of about 12 feet.
 6. The apparatusof claim 3, wherein: the housing comprises one or more wheels proximateto an outer lateral wall of the housing.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6,further comprising: a mechanism configured to raise and lower thehousing vertically between a first position at which the housing isrelatively further from a ground level and a second position at whichthe housing is relatively closer to the ground level.
 8. The apparatusof claim 6 1, further comprising: an imaging device configured togenerate a video feed of an exterior area adjacent to the opening of thehousing; and a display device positioned within the vehicle andconfigured to display the video feed.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8,wherein: the display device is further configured to display, on thevideo feed, an overlay image that depicts an edge of the opening of thehousing relative to the exterior area.
 10. The apparatus of claim 6 1,wherein: the opening is formed in a front side wall of the housing, thefront side wall being substantially perpendicular to a direction oftravel of the vehicle.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, furthercomprising: a second opening formed in a rear side wall of the housingdisposed opposite the front side wall.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11,further comprising: a passageway formed through the interior chamber ofthe housing between the opening formed in the front side wall and thesecond opening formed in the rear side wall; and wherein the passagewayis sized and shaped to permit passage of the damaged vehicle through thepassageway.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the passageway has awidth between about 8 feet to about 15 feet.
 14. The apparatus of claim13, wherein: the passageway has a width of about 12 feet.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 3 1, further comprising: a device configured toassist transporting the damaged vehicle into the interior chamber of thehousing.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: the device comprisesone of a winch, a conveyor belt, or a series of lineshaft rollers. 17.The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: a platform positionedbehind a cab of the vehicle and supporting the housing; and a rampconnected to the platform and configured to extend between a rear edgeof the platform to a ground level.
 18. The apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising: a damage assessment system configured to perform an analysisof the sensor data generated by one or more of the plurality of sensingdevices and identify damage that has occurred to the object damagedvehicle based on the analysis of the sensor data.
 19. The apparatus ofclaim 18, wherein: the damage assessment system is further configured toestimate a cost to repair or replace the object damaged vehicle based onthe damage identified.
 20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: theplurality of sensing devices comprise one or more of: (i) a first deviceconfigured to generate one or more images of the object damaged vehiclewherein the images comprise one or more of a two-dimensional image ofthe object damaged vehicle, a three-dimensional image of the objectdamaged vehicle, a tomographic image of the object damaged vehicle, aninfrared image of the object damaged vehicle, a magnetic resonance imageof the object damaged vehicle, or an X-ray of the object damagedvehicle, (ii) a second device configured to measure the object damagedvehicle using a laser, (iii) a third device configured to measure theobject damaged vehicle using pressure waves, or (iv) a fourth deviceconfigured to detect a fluid associated with the object damaged vehicle.21. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a lift positioned atthe area at which the object is positionable and configured to move theobject between a raised position and a lowered position; and a roboticarm positioned within the housing and configured to grasp and repositiona portion of the object.
 22. A method comprising: driving an apparatusto a location of a damaged vehicle, the apparatus comprising: (i) avehicle, (ii) a housing mounted to a lateral side of the vehicle, thehousing comprising an interior chamber, an opening sized and shaped topermit passage of the damaged vehicle into the interior chamber, and anarea within the interior chamber at which the damaged vehicle ispositionable, and a wall that forms the opening of the housing and issubstantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle,wherein the housing, as mounted to the vehicle, is positionable betweena raised position and a lowered position, and (iii) a plurality ofsensing devices positioned within the interior chamber of the housingand aimed at the area, each one of the plurality of sensing devicesbeing configured to generate sensor data corresponding to the damagedvehicle; receiving the damaged vehicle through the opening and into theinterior chamber of the housing wherein the receiving comprises aligningthe opening with the damaged vehicle and driving the apparatus in adirection that causes the damaged vehicle to pass through the openingand into the interior chamber of the housing; positioning the damagedvehicle at the area; and performing an inspection of the damaged vehicleusing one or more of the plurality of sensing devices to generate sensordata corresponding to the damaged vehicle.
 23. The method of claim 22,wherein: the housing further comprises a wall that forms the opening ofthe housing and is substantially perpendicular to a direction of travelof the vehicle; and receiving the damaged vehicle within the interiorchamber of the housing comprises aligning the opening with the damagedvehicle and driving the apparatus in a direction that causes the vehicleto pass through the opening and into the interior chamber of thehousing.
 24. An apparatus comprising: a vehicle; a housing mounted tothe vehicle and positioned on a lateral side of the vehicle, the housingcomprising: an interior chamber sized and shaped to house a damagedvehicle, an area within the interior chamber at which the damagedvehicle is positionable, a front side wall that is substantiallyperpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle, the front sidewall forming a first opening sized and shaped to permit passage of adamaged vehicle into and out of the interior chamber, a rear side wallthat is substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of thevehicle and disposed opposite to the front side wall, the rear side wallforming a second opening sized and shaped to permit passage of thedamaged vehicle into and out of the interior chamber, a lower surfaceextending between the front side wall and the rear side wall; apassageway formed through the lower surface and extending between thefirst opening and the second opening, the passageway being sized andshaped to permit passage of the damaged vehicle through the interiorchamber of the housing, a lateral wall extending between the front sidewall and the rear side wall and disposed opposite the lateral side ofthe vehicle, and one or more wheels positioned proximate to the lateralwall; a plurality of sensing devices positioned within the interiorchamber of the housing and aimed at the area, each one of the pluralityof sensing devices being configured to generate sensor datacorresponding to the damaged vehicle; and a damage assessment systemconfigured to identify damage that has occurred to the damaged vehiclebased on an analysis of the sensor data and estimate a cost to repair orreplace the damaged vehicle based on the damage identified.
 25. Anapparatus comprising: a vehicle; a housing adjacent to a lateral side ofthe vehicle, the apparatus being sized and shaped to house a damagedvehicle, wherein the apparatus comprises an interior chamber, an areawithin the interior chamber at which the damaged vehicle ispositionable, an opening sized and shaped to permit passage of thedamaged vehicle into and out of the interior chamber of the apparatus,wherein the housing comprises one or more wheels proximate to an outerlateral wall of the housing, and wherein the housing, while adjacent tothe vehicle, is positionable between a raised position and a loweredposition; and a plurality of sensing devices positioned within theinterior chamber of the apparatus and aimed at the area, each one of theplurality of sensing devices being configured to generate sensor datacorresponding to the damaged vehicle.
 26. The apparatus of claim 25,wherein: the opening has a width between about 8 feet to about 15 feet.27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein: the opening has a width of about12 feet.
 28. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: an imagingdevice configured to generate a video feed of an exterior area adjacentto the opening of the housing; and a display device positioned withinthe vehicle and configured to display the video feed.
 29. The apparatusof claim 28, wherein: the display device is further configured todisplay, on the video feed, an overlay image that depicts an edge of theopening of the housing relative to the exterior area.
 30. The apparatusof claim 25, wherein: the opening is formed in a front side wall of theapparatus, the front side wall being substantially perpendicular to adirection of travel of the vehicle.
 31. The apparatus of claim 30,further comprising: a second opening formed in a rear side wall of theapparatus disposed opposite the front side wall.
 32. The apparatus ofclaim 31, further comprising: a passageway formed through the interiorchamber of the apparatus between the opening formed in the front sidewall and the second opening formed in the rear side wall; and whereinthe passageway is sized and shaped to permit passage of the damagedvehicle through the passageway.
 33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein:the passageway has a width between about 8 feet to about 15 feet. 34.The apparatus of claim 33, wherein: the passageway has a width of about12 feet.
 35. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a deviceconfigured to assist transporting the damaged vehicle into the interiorchamber of the apparatus.
 36. The apparatus of claim 25, furthercomprising: a damage assessment system configured to perform an analysisof the sensor data generated by one or more of the plurality of sensingdevices and identify damage that has occurred to the damaged vehiclebased on the analysis of the sensor data.
 37. The apparatus of claim 36,wherein: the damage assessment system is further configured to estimatea cost to repair or replace the damaged vehicle based on the damageidentified.
 38. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the plurality ofsensing devices comprise one or more of: (i) a first device configuredto generate one or more images of the damaged vehicle wherein the imagescomprise one or more of a two-dimensional image of the damaged vehicle,a three-dimensional image of the damaged vehicle, a tomographic image ofthe damaged vehicle, an infrared image of the damaged vehicle, amagnetic resonance image of the damaged vehicle, or an X-ray of thedamaged vehicle, (ii) a second device configured to measure the damagedvehicle using a laser, (iii) a third device configured to measure thedamaged vehicle using pressure waves, or (iv) a fourth device configuredto detect a fluid associated with the damaged vehicle.
 39. A methodcomprising: driving an apparatus to a damaged vehicle analysis location,the apparatus comprising: (i) a vehicle, (ii) a housing adjacent to alateral side of the vehicle, the apparatus further comprising aninterior chamber, an opening sized and shaped to permit passage of thedamaged vehicle into the interior chamber, an area within the interiorchamber at which the damaged vehicle is positionable, and a wall thatforms the opening of the housing and is substantially perpendicular to adirection of travel of the vehicle, wherein the housing, as adjacent tothe vehicle, is positionable between a raised position and a loweredposition, and (iii) a plurality of sensing devices positioned within theinterior chamber of the apparatus and aimed at the area, each one of theplurality of sensing devices being configured to generate sensor datacorresponding to the damaged vehicle; receiving the damaged vehiclethrough the opening and into the interior chamber of the apparatuswherein the receiving comprises aligning the opening with the damagedvehicle and driving the apparatus in a direction that causes the damagedvehicle to pass through the opening and into the interior chamber of theapparatus; positioning the damaged vehicle at the area; and performingan inspection of the vehicle using one or more of the plurality ofsensing devices to generate sensor data corresponding to the damagedvehicle.
 40. An apparatus comprising: a vehicle; a housing adjacent tothe vehicle and positioned on a lateral side of the vehicle, wherein thehousing comprises: an interior chamber sized and shaped to house adamaged vehicle, an area within the interior chamber at which thedamaged vehicle is positionable, a front side wall that is substantiallyperpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle, the front sidewall forming a first opening sized and shaped to permit passage of adamaged vehicle into and out of the interior chamber, a rear side wallthat is substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of thevehicle and disposed opposite to the front side wall, the rear side wallforming a second opening sized and shaped to permit passage of thedamaged vehicle into and out of the interior chamber, a lower surfaceextending between the front side wall and the rear side wall; apassageway formed through the lower surface and extending between thefirst opening and the second opening, the passageway being sized andshaped to permit passage of the damaged vehicle through the interiorchamber of the apparatus, a lateral wall extending between the frontside wall and the rear side wall and disposed opposite the lateral sideof the vehicle, and one or more wheels positioned proximate to thelateral wall; a plurality of sensing devices positioned within theinterior chamber of the apparatus and aimed at the area, each one of theplurality of sensing devices being configured to generate sensor datacorresponding to the damaged vehicle; and a damage assessment systemconfigured to identify damage that has occurred to the damaged vehiclebased on an analysis of the sensor data and estimate a cost to repair orreplace the damaged vehicle based on the damage identified.